SHORTER LINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 277, 23 November 1943, Page 5

SHORTER LINE

IMPORTANT GAINS BY EIGHTH ARMY IN ROME BY CHRISTMAS? (By Telegraph— Press Association—Copyright) Recd. 7 p.m. London, Dec. 21. The British Eighth Army has made important new gains south of the Sangro River after the biggest battle for a week in Italy. Four valuable centres have been captured in the past 48 hours, resulting in shortening of the Eighth Army’s line by 21 miles. Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says that troops ot the Eighth Army now line the banks of the Sangro River for 12 miles from the Adriatic. Since the Eighth Army sprang into activity two days ago after one week’s inactivity owing to bad weather, it has captured Archi, an important town on the south bank of the Sangro, 15 miles from the Adriatic coast; Agnone, 30 miles from the Adriatic; tne village of Castel san Vincenzo, nine miles north-west of Isernia; and the village of Rochetta -near by. The capture of A.gnone means an advance of eight miles. The British have gained a total of 145 square miles of territory and also the command of a iOmile stretch of the road across Italy from Vasto to Venafro.

In the taking of Agnone heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. Men of the Eighth Army have now advanced beyond the town. By the occupation of the villages of Castel san Vincenzo and Rochetta the Allies have increased their outflanking threat to Cassino.

The Fifth Army, although still experiencing bad weather, has renewed its dogged nibbling tactics in the mountains, says Reuter’s correspondent. He adds that the Fifth Army’s right flank north of Isernia advanced three miles. Three have been no important changes on the rest of the front where activity has been confined to artillery exchanges. Bad flying weather has stopped heavy bombing during the past two days. Reuter’s correspondent with the Fifth Army says military experts in Italy are speculative on tne possibility of Rome being a Christmas present for the United Nations, but much depends on the weather. If there is another spell of line weather there is no doubt that the campaign will emerge from the present patrol and artillery activity into full-blooded Allied pressure, with the Allied troops determined to avenge their recent slight reverses in the mountainous central sector of the Fifth Army front.

“BLACK MARKET’’ WAR POLICE CAMPAIGN IN SOUTH ITALY

Heed. 6 p.m. Rugby, Nov. 21. “Italy has another war—the war against the black market, which is getting into its stride,” says a correrespondent with the Fifth Army. The latest development has been a raid on a black market stronghold led by two British senior officers, when every house and shop in a cordoned area was searched. The haul included clothing, food, petrol, cigarettes, and army equipmetg, some of which had been stolen from the docks. Twentysix persons were arrested and now await trial. The raid was made by the police under the Allied military government authorities. At the same time the round-up was announced came a tightening up of the curfew restrictions. Moscow radio announced that M. Vychinsky, the Soviet Deputy Foreign Commissar, has left for Algiers. He will be the Soviet representative on the advisory council for questions concerning Italy.—B.O.W.